American guitarist, Jake E. Lee, who is most likely best known from his mid-1980’s stint with rocker Ozzy Osbourne, and also from his post-Ozzy solo project, Badlands, was born Jakey Lou Williams on February 15, 1957. As a child, Lee began a lifetime of music by studying piano, but soon decided that guitar would be his instrument of choice.
Jake E. Lee began his rock career as head of Teaser, a San Diego-based group who became the official House Band of Straitahead Sound, which was the first “Teen Night Club” in San Diego. From there, Jake became a guitarist in a band called Mickey Ratt. This band moved to Los Angeles and became the famous glam metal band Ratt, who initially handed out free copies of their single “Dr.Rock/Drivin On E” at their shows. Also, while Jake E. Lee was in Ratt, their song “Tell The World” wound up on the 1982 historic first Metal Massacre album alongside Metallica’s first song, “Hit The Lights.”
Jake’s next band was Rough Cutt, and it was through this band that Jake met Ronnie James Dio, who produced the band, while Dio’s wife, Wendy, was the manager. In 1982, Lee left Rough Cutt to become Dio’s guitar player. However, this engagement was short-lived, and only a few recordings of the Dio and Lee rehearsals exist. Nonetheless, Lee takes credit for writing the main riff to the Holy Diver tune, “Don’t Talk To Strangers.”
Upon the tragic death of Randy Rhoads in 1982, Ozzy Osbourne began the search for a permanent replacement, and it was at this time that Jake E. Lee’s name was brought up. It was Dana Strum who recommended Lee, and since Strum had recommended Randy Rhoads to Ozzy, back in 1979, Ozzy trusted his judgment. However, despite this, Ozzy had a difficult time deciding whether to go with Lee or his other choice, George Lynch, who was the guitarist in the popular Dokken. In fact, George Lynch was indeed chosen initially to be Ozzy’s new axe-slinger, but then Ozzy changed his mind, and for the next 5 years, Jake E. Lee was Ozzy’s full-time guitarist. The first order of business for Jake was to finish up the supporting tours behind the albums, Diary Of A Madman and Speak Of The Devil. Next, Bark At The Moon, written by Ozzy and Jake, catapulted them to even more fame due to the airplay that the songs, “Bark At The Moon” and “So Tired” would receive, both on radio, and on MTV. This album has sold over 3 million copies. At this time, Ozzy had to take some time off from the band, and visited the Betty Ford Clinic, in order to address his substance abuse issues. While Ozzy was taking care of his personal demons, Jake went ahead and wrote new material, which Ozzy was very satisfied w2ith. This material later became Ozzy’s next album, the Ultimate Sin. The album went Platinum immediately, and an extensive tour followed. Eventually, The Ultimate Sin would be certified Double Platinum in 1994. Unfortunately, Lee would leave the band in 1987, apparently frustrated with Ozzy devoting much of his time and energy to the preparation of the release of the Randy Rhoads Tribute album.
In 1988, Jake E. Lee, along with vocalist Ray Gillen, put together a new project called Badlands. This blues-based hard rock outfit released a self-titled debut album in 1989, but things soon began to unravel. First, in 1991, Badlands drummer, Eric Singer, left the band to join KISS, replacing the late Eric Carr. A second album, Voodoo Highway was released, however Gillen was let go during the supporting tour and was replaced by John West. Sadly, Gillen would die in 1993 of AIDS-related complications. Soon after, Badlands released Dusk, an album containing some previously unreleased material recorded with Ray Gillen.
Despite releasing 1996’s well-received solo album, A Fine Pink Mist, Lee kept a rather low profile during the 1990’s, appearing in musical tributes to Queen, AC/DC, Rush, Van Halen, Randy Rhoads and Metallica. Lee also had a pair of side projects, Wicked Alliance and Bourgeois Pigs; however, there are no known recordings of either band. Lee released an album of 1960’s and 1970’s blues covers called, Retraced, in 2005, and Jake now plays in a 3-piece band called 3 day Crush.
Jake E. Lee has been known to use Marshall JCM800 2203 and 1968-70 Marshall Plexi amplifiers, Boss effect pedals, and Seymour Duncan and DiMarzio pickups. His guitars include a Charvel-modified Fender Stratocaster, along with a couple of Charvel Holdsworth Strats and other Charvel/ESP guitars modified to Lee’s specifications.